Recap: NY Yankees vs. Baltimore

Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Ichiro Suzuki and Alfonso Soriano each hit two- run homers to lift the New York Yankees over the Baltimore Orioles, 8-5, in the opener of a three-game series.

Robinson Cano went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored for the Yankees, who started a 10-game homestand on Friday. Alex Rodriguez and Mark Reynolds added an RBI apiece.

"We got behind and were able to come back a couple times," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We had a huge inning, some big home runs, some big base hits by some guys. It was a nice job."

New York starter CC Sabathia (12-11) allowed five runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings. The big left-hander improved to 18-5 lifetime against Baltimore.

The Yankees remained eight games behind Boston for first place in the AL East. The Red Sox beat the White Sox on Friday.

Danny Valencia hit a two-run homer for the Orioles, who have lost three of their last four games. Manny Machado, Chris Davis and Nick Markakis each drove in a run.

Miguel Gonzalez (8-7) got the start for Baltimore and gave up seven runs on six hits over four-plus innings.

"Sometimes the game is going to speed up on you," Gonzalez said. "I was feeling well at the beginning and then towards the end I was just leaving balls up."

The first hit of the game was recorded in the top of the fourth. Machado hit a ground-rule double down the right-field line, moved to third on a wild pitch and crossed the plate on Davis' single up the middle.

New York, however, responded with two runs in the bottom half. Cano worked a two-out walk and scored on Soriano's homer to right.

Baltimore jumped back in front with a three-run fifth. Markakis reached base on an infield single and crossed the plate on Valencia's blast over the wall in left-center field. Alexi Casilla walked, stole second, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and raced home on Machado's single to left.

Once again, the Yankees had an answer. The home team scored five runs in the bottom half to take a 7-4 lead. Curtis Granderson led off with a double to right and scored on Reynolds' double to left. Suzuki followed with a homer to right. Austin Romine doubled, Brett Gardner singled and Derek Jeter walked to load the bases with no outs.

T.J. McFarland came in from the bullpen and Cano greeted him with a two-run single to right. After Soriano grounded into a fielder's choice, Rodriguez grounded into a double play.

The Orioles managed to get one run back in the sixth. Adam Jones doubled to left-center field and raced home on Markakis' two-out single to right.

Rodriguez's RBI single in the seventh made it 8-5 New York.

Mariano Rivera tossed a scoreless ninth to pick up his 39th save of the season.

Game Notes

Despite Friday's loss, the Orioles lead the season series by a 7-6 margin ...
Gonzalez fell to 2-2 lifetime against the Yankees ... New York had 13 hits,
compared to nine for Baltimore ... Markakis and Reynolds each had three hits.